Homicides
A lot of people get killed in Spenser's books. Most of his cases involve a homicide somewhere along the line. Moreover, Spenser leads a dangerous life, often provoking (intentionally or unintentionally) organized crime figures throughout Boston. He survives in large part because he is usually quicker, smarter, and more capable than the many people sent to kill him. (That is, he kills them back first.) This page is primarily the work of original B&B contributor Dennis Tallett, with supplemental information from Iain Campbell and Darren Ivey. Dennis passed away by 2007. Bob Ames said in his original site "Thanks again Dennis; those of us who knew you can count ourselves lucky. Rest in peace." As imported from the B&B archive, this list covers the first 32 Spenser books (through Cold Service). Eventually we'll try to finish the list with the rest of Parker's books. ---- During the SPENSER series there are details of 155 homicides, 1 suicide, and the shooting of a black Labrador (there were several more but as they happened "off screen" there is no way to count them - Bob) Of the 155 homicides there were: *124 shootings *1 hanging *1 was drowned in a bathtub *2 were battered to death *3 were strangled *3 necks were broken *1 thrown from a window *3 were blown up *2 hit by a car *1 hit with a chair *3 killed by knife *1 by unknown method Of the 124 shootings *37 were shot by Spenser. *19 were shot by Hawk. In the following breakdown P/B is paperback edition, H/C is Hardcover edition References are chapter/page no. -- The Godwulf Manuscript P/B *Dennis Powell - Shot by a small, white-handled gun. Joe Broz took care of it. 3/29 *Cathy Connelly - drowned, face down in the bathtub by the Haydens. 15/34 *Albert J. Brooks, a muscle for Joe Broz, shot by Spenser in a shootout. 19/163/164,20/171 *Sully Roselli, a gofer for Joe Broz, shot by Spenser in a shootout. 19/163/164,20/171 *Judy Hayden takes six bullets from Joe Broz's strong arm. 24/196 *Phil, Joe Broz's strong arm, throttled by Spenser. 24/194 God Save The Child P/B *Earl Maguire - a broken neck by Vic Harroway. 14/112 *Dr. Ray Croft - hanged with help of Chief Trask. 26/199 Mortal Stakes. P/B *Frank Doerr, loan shark, and Wally Hogg, his bodyguard, both shot by Spenser. 25/276 Promised Land. P/B *Fitzgerald, 'Fitz', the bank guard shot during a heist by Jane, strong arm to sexist militant, Rose Alexander. 19/141 The Judas Goat. P/B *Mrs. Dixon and two daughters, blown up in London. 1/8 *Two assassins are shot by Spenser in his London hotel room. 7/52 *Fritz, a terrorist. Hawk blows his head off. 16/109 *Big Nose, a terrorist, gets a bullet in the face from terrorist Hans. 16/109 *Hans is shot by Hawk. 16/109 *Antone and Milo, shot as a sacrifice by their leader, Paul with Zachary. 18/24, 19/134 *Paul, the terrorist leader, shot by his girlfriend, Kathie Caldwell. 29/144 Looking For Rachel Wallace. P/B *Lawrence English, kidnapper, bigot. A bullet from Spenser in the forehead. 29/202 *Mingo Mulready, his strongarm. From Spenser, a bullet under the right eye. 29/202 Early Autumn. P/B *Harry Cotton, a major league crook. A shot in the forehead from Hawk. 31/210 A Savage Place. P/B *Mickey Rafferty, stuntman. Three in the chest by the mob. 16/104 *Bubba, a strong arm. Two shots from Spenser. 16/105 *Sam Felton, movie producer, shot and dumped by Franco Montenegro. 18/114 *Franco Montenegro, collector, shot in the forehead by Little Joe and Rollie Sims. 29/178/181 *Candy Sloan, TV reporter, takes three bullets from Peter Brewster and Rollie Sims. 29/181 Ceremony. P/B *A black Labrador, shot while in Susan's care. Probably by Tony Marcus' men. 24/153 The Widening Gyre. P/B *Roger Francona, a Broz strongarm, shot by Spenser under the right eye. 29/164 *Eddie DiBernardi, a strong arm. In the chest by Spenser. 29/164 Valediction. P/B *Fat Willie Vance and three other shooters, mown down by Spenser. 34/206 *Bullard Winston, church leader and drug runner; two shots from Tommy Banks. 43/254 *Mickey Paultz, developer, heroin trader. Two shots in the head from Sherry Spellman. 43/255 *Tommy Banks, dance director, one in the chest from Spenser. 43/254 *Sherry Spellman, not as innocent as she seemed. Spenser broke her neck after she shot him twice. 43/256 A Catskill Eagle. P/B *Emmett Colder, Costigan's security consultant, killed with a chair by Hawk. 1/4 *Leo, a pimp, shot by Spenser. 10/60 *Allie, the pimp's bodyguard, shot by Hawk, 10/60 *Costigan guard at the Keep, neck broken by Hawk. 12/78 *Costigan guard, shot 13/94 (Hawk shot him with a .44 Magnum-it seems a safe bet) *Costigan guard at the Lodge, shot with rifle by Hawk.18/127 *Warren, a Costigan bodyguard, in the forehead by Hawk. 19/132 *Two other Costigan men, shot with rifle by Hawk. 19/133 *Costigan goon, Hawk ran him down. 26/188 *Russ Costigan’s bodyguard, shot 37/252 (Hawk shot this guy, leaving a blood smear on the van, and then left him on the roadside in the middle of nowhere *Warren, a bodyguard, shot in the forehead by Hawk. 19/132 *Chinese hit man, gut-shot by Spenser. 42/293 (Richie Loo on p. 297 indicated that the hit man was probably dead) *Jerry Costigan, crook, shot in the forehead by Spenser. 53/356 Taming A Sea-Horse. P/B *Ginger Buckey, a New York hooker, shot by her pimp, Rambeaux. 22/193 *Robert Rambeaux, pimp, killed by Jacky Wax. 26/227 Pale Kings and Princes. P/B *Eric Valdez, reporter, shot and castrated by Chief Rogers (unproven). 1/1 *Bailey Rogers, police chief, shot twice in the head by Felipe Esteva. 14/128 *Brett Rogers, his son, shot by Esteva. 22/186 *Felipe Esteva, drug distributor, shot by Spenser. 35/292 *Felice, his strong arm, shot by Spenser. 35/291 *Cesar, another strong arm, shot by Hawk. 35/291 *Capt. Henry and J.D. crooked cops shot be State Trooper Lundquist. 35/293 Crimson Joy. P/B *Royette Chambers, hooker. 8/78 *Dolores Taylor, exotic dancer. 8/78 *Chantelle, singer. 3/24 *Emmeline Washburn, school teacher. 8/73 *An unamed cocktail waitress. 1/8,8/78 *All African-American, shot between the thighs by Gordon Felton, security guard. *Gordon Felton hung himself using his shirt in the jail cell. 33/292 Playmates. P/B *Baseball Cap and Blackbeard, Deegan's strong arms, shot by Spenser and Hawk. 20/135 *Danny Davis, team player, points shaver, shot twice by a Bobby Deegan shooter. 31/220 *Two shooters, Deegan's men and Danny Davis' killers, shot by Hawk. 31/220 Stardust. P/B *Babe Loftus, stunt double, shot in the back by William Zabriskie, Jill Joyce's father. 19/143 *Wilfrid Pomeroy, Jill Joyce's first husband. A suicide. 32/221 *William Zabriskie, shot through the heart. 38/256 Pastime. H/C *One strongarm, Gerry Broz's, in the chest by Spenser. 23/149 *One strongarm, Gerry Broz's, shot with eighth round. 23/149-150 (Spenser said he nailed him) Double Deuce. H/C *Devona Jefferson and baby Crystal. 12 shots from a gang. Prolog/11 *Tallboy, shot by Billy. 34/161 Paper Doll. P/B *Olivia Nelson, battered with a framing hammer by Jefferson, Jack Nelson's servant. 1/3, 2/7 Walking Shadow. P/B *Craig Samson, actor shot on stage by Lonnie Wu. 4/21 *Lonnie Wu, gang co-ordinator, battered to death by Police Chief DeSpain. 47/254 *DeSpain, police chief. Four shots from Vinnie Morris. 51/276 Thin Air. H/C *Luis Deleon, barrio chief, shot in the back by rival gang chief, Freddie Santiago. 42/289 *Ramon Gonzalez, Deleon's shooter, shot by Chollo. 42/284 Chance. H/C *Two Russian immigrants, shot by Spenser. 42/246 *Shirley Ventura, the crook's daughter, raped, strangled by Marty Anaheim. 51/300 *Tarone Jessup, imprisoned Tony Marcus' caretaker, probably killed by the Russians. 52/304 *Two Russian immigrants, muscling in, shot probably by Tony Marcus' gang. 52/304 Small Vices. H/C *Melissa Henderson, student. Accidentally strangled by Clint Stapleton. 53/294 *Detective Tommy Miller, state detective, shot by Rugar, the Gray Man. 53/298 Sudden Mischief. H/C *Cony Brown, feelance shooter and contract man, shot by Brad Sterling. 27/156, 48/279 *Carla Quagliozzi, Sterling's ex-wife, counselor to ex-cons, probably shot by Brad Sterling. 48/280 Hush Money. H/C *Prentice Lamont, gay activist student, out through a window probably by Horn Rims, Milo Quant's security strong arm. 54/288 Hugger Mugger. H/C *Walter Clive, stable owner, shot by his daughter, Penny Clive/Jon Delroy. 18/97, 58/306 *One gunman, John Delroy’s, shot in middle of the mass. 56/293-294 (Spenser said there was nothing he could do about the guy shot and being where they were, 20 miles out of Lamarr, he likely bled out before he saw medical attention.) Potshot. H/C *Steve Buckman, football coach, three shots, by his wife Mary Lou or her shooter. 1/9,64/294 *Four of the Preacher’s men, shot with rifle by Spenser. 60/275, 276, 277 (the number of dead in the shootout is not given so I can't count them, but if Spenser got four by himself the total taken by his posse had to be impressive - Bob) *Mark Ratcliff, film maker, Buckman's best friend shot by Mary Lou or her shooter. 64/294 *Jerome Jefferson, surfer, slugger. Probably shot by Morris Tannebaum. 33/158 Widow's Walk. H/C *Nathan Smith, banker, shot in the head on orders from Shawcross. 1/3 *Kevin McGonigle, hired thug, shot once under the chin by Spenser. 23/150 *Amy Peters, VP at Pequod Savings and Loan, shot in head on orders from Shawcross. 27/122 *Brinkman "Brink" Tyler, financial advisor, hit by a car on orders from Shawcross 36/162 *Jack DeRosa, criminal, shot many times by Shawcross. 39/175 *Margaret McDermott, girlfriend of DeRosa, shared his fate. 39/175 *Felton Shawcross, head bad guy, shot four times by Spenser. 61/289 Back Story. H/C *A shooter, working for Sonny, shot by Hawk 34/150 *A shooter, working for Sonny, shot by Spenser 34/150 *Two shooters, working for Sonny, shot by Spenser 55/253 *Harvey, Sonny's head enforcer, shot by Spenser 55/255 Bad Business. H/C *Trenton Rowley, CFO at Kinergy, shot three times by Lance Devaney 11/48 *Steve Gavin, head of security at Kinergy, one shot through the mouth by Lance Devaney 38/179 Cold Service. H/C *Luther Gillespie, his wife, and two children, shot by the Ukranian mob. 1/2. *A tavern owner, throat sliced by the Ukranian mob. 3/10. *Bohdan Dziubakevych, shanked in jail for squealing on the mob. 8/37. *Husak, lawyer for the mob, decapitated in his office. 20/103. *Danylko Levkovych, shot in the forehead by Hawk. 29/143. *Fadeyushka Badyrka, shot in the forehead by Hawk. 43/227. *Lyaksandro Prohorovych, shot under the left eye by Hawk. 51/262. *Vanko Tsyklins'kyj, shot by Hawk. 52/263. *"Something like ten people killed" in City Hall during the raid by Tony Marcus's people. 53/268. *Boots Podolak, killed in an unspecified manner by Hawk. 61/303. Surrogate. Short story, no page numbers. *Richie Hanson, raped Brenda Loring twice for Northrop May. Shot by Brenda. *Northrop May, Brenda's ex. Shot by Brenda. People killed by Spenser His 37 shootings, 1 strangulation, and 1 broken neck. The Godwulf Manuscript. P/B *Albert J. Brooks, a muscle for Joe Broz, in the chest. 19/163/164,20/171 *Sully Roselli, a gofer for Joe Broz, in the chest. 19/163/164,20/171 *Phil, Joe Broz's strong arm, throttled. 24/194 Mortal Stakes. P/B *Frank Doerr, loan shark and Wally Hogg, his bodyguard. 25/276 The Judas Goat. P/B *Two assassins in his London hotel room. 7/52 Looking For Rachel Wallace. P/B *Lawrence English, Kidnapper, bigot. A bullet in the forehead. 29/202 *Mingo Mulready, his strongarm. A bullet under the right eye. 29/202 A Savage Place. P/B *Bubba, a mob strongarm. Two shots. 16/105 The Widening Gyre. P/B *Roger Francona, a Broz strongarm, shot under the right eye. 29/164 *Eddie DiBernardi, a strongarm. In the chest. 29/164 Valediction. P/B *Fat Willie Vance & three of his shooters, mown down. 34/206 *Tommy Banks, dance director, one in the chest. 43/254 *Sherry Spellman, her neck broken after she shot him twice. 43/256 A Catskill Eagle. P/B *Leo, a pimp, shot. 10/60 *Warren, a Costigan bodyguard, in the forehead. 19/132 *Chinese hitman, gut-shot. 42/293 (Richie Loo on p. 297 indicated that the hit man was probably dead) *Jerry Costigan, arms dealer, trucking, air freight, in the forehead. 53/356 Pale Kings and Princes. P/B *Felipe Esteva, drug distributor. Shot. 35/292 *Felice, his strongarm. Shot. 35/291 Playmates. P/B *Baseball Cap, Bobby Deegan's strongarm, shot. 20/135 Pastime. H/C *One strongarm, Gerry Broz's, in the chest. 23/149 *One strongarm, Gerry Broz's, shot with eighth round. 23/149-150 (Spenser said he nailed him) Chance P/B *Two Russian immigrants, in the chest 42/256 Hugger Mugger. H/C *One gunman, John Delroy’s, shot in middle of the mass. 56/293-294 (Spenser said there was nothing he could do about the guy shot and being where they were, 20 miles out of Lamarr, he likely bled out before he saw medical attention.) Potshot. H/C *Four of the Preacher’s men, shot with rifle. 60/275, 276, 277 Widow's Walk H/C *Kevin McGonigle, hired thug, shot once under the chin. 23/150 *Felton Shawcross, head bad guy, shot four times. 61/289 Back Story. H/C *A shooter, working for Sonny, shot. 34/150 *Two shooters, working for Sonny, shot. 55/253 *Harvey, Sonny's head enforcer, shot. 55/255 People killed by Hawk 19 shootings, 1 hit with a chair, 1 broken neck, 1 hit but a car, one unknown method, and a number of probables (Hawk being who and what he is-namely a major league badass-doesn’t wound on purpose and likely kills most everybody he shoots) The Judas Goat. P/B *Fritz, a terrorist. Hawk blows his head off. 16/109 *Hans, a terrorist, shot. 16/109 Early Autumn. P/B *Harry Cotton, a major league crook, in the forehead. 31/210 A Catskill Eagle.P/B *Emmett Colder, Costigan's security consultant, hit him with a chair. 1/4 *Allie, Leo the pimp's bodyguard, shot. 10/60 *Costigan guard at the Keep, neck broken 12/78 *Costigan guard, shot 13/94 (Hawk shot him with a .44 Magnum-it seems a safe bet) *Costigan guard at the Lodge, shot with rifle 18/127 *Warren, a Costigan bodyguard, in the forehead. 19/132 *Two other Costigan men, shot with rifle. 19/133 *Costigan goon, ran him over with a car. 26/188 *Russ Costigan’s bodyguard, shot 37/252 (Hawk shot this guy, leaving a blood smear on the van, and then left him on the roadside in the middle of nowhere.) *Pale Kings and Princes. P/B *Cesar, an Esteva strongarm. 35/291 Playmates. P/B *Blackbeard a Bobby Deegan strongarm, shot. 20/135 *Two shooters, Bobby Deegan's men, Danny Davis' killers, shot. 31/220 Back Story. H/C *A shooter, working for Sonny, shot. 34/150 Cold Service. H/C *Danylko Levkovych, shot in the forehead. 29/143. *Fadeyushka Badyrka, shot in the forehead. 43/227. *Lyaksandro Prohorovych, shot under the left eye. 51/262. *Vanko Tsyklins'kyj, shot. 52/263. *Boots Podolak, killed in an unspecified manner, but not shot. 61/303. Category: Miscellaneous articles